Street-cleaner.



L. A. HERVEY.

STREET CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.31,191o.

Patented Nov. 11

] nu@ WEG@ www L. A. HERVEY.

STREET CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 31, 1910.

Patented 11011.11, 1913.

"1 SHBETS*SHEBT 4.

L. HERVEY.

STRE CLEANER.

APPLICATION Hmm 00T. s1, 1910,

atentfr mf. NL, 1913.

5 SHEETSWSHBET 5.

m $5 mfr ITE-D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEE-LFREIlON HERVEY, OF PERTH AMIBOY, NWJERSEY, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-THIRD llO` GEORGE W. TYRRELL AND ONE-THIRD TO FREDERICK CARR, BOTH 0F PERTH annoy, New JERSEY' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1 1, 1913.

pplicaton led October 31, 1910. Serial No. 590,022.

.This invention relates to. street cleaning machines, and particularly to machines of thel vacuum or suction'type, and has for its object the provision of suitable mechanismadapted t0 eliiciently clean everypart of the street that the machine passes over.

4Reciprocating disintegrating apparatus is provided for Alaterally scraping the crevices between Belgian blocks, cobbles and the like. A, rotary disintegrating means is provided lfor breaking. up the larger masses of street dirt, while auxiliary cleaning means for the street gutters, coacts with those above mentioned by disposing the material removed from the gutter directlyl in the path of the disintegrating appliances.

My invention further contemplates the provision of a novel suctionl apparatus which coperates with the dirt loosening and disintegrating parts aforesaid; the particles of dirt, pieces of paper and the like being-conveyedv to a vsuitablesorting chamber. ll have further provided means for disrupting and disintegrating such paper and like material in said chamber, and for sorting the collectedl material and lstoring thesamein, separate compartments. These compartments are provided with ,appliances for delivering the material therefrom into bags for-like receptacles.

Yllhe street cleaning apparatus is mounted u on a suitable automobile'body, andis provided, with power means, preferably separate and; distinct from the vehicle motor;V

so that the action of the cleaning apparatus is not interfered with by changes in the speed ofthe vehicle. a

'Uther objects of my invention will be hereinafter set fior-th and more particularly lpointed out in the appended claims.

lln ener-al, the mechanism adords means for i* ciently cleanin streets andi for dis posin ofthe materia in tliemanner above descri ed, the several elements ofthe mechanism cooperating tothis end andthe whole aordin'g a street cleaning device which `is particularly well adapted to perform its function. 1

In the `drawings which form a part llereof, and in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 1s a side elevation of the apparatus; portions thereof being broken away to more clearly illustrate the construction employed. Fig. 2 isa rear elevation of the said apparatus, the bag supporting platforms being removed. Figs. 3 and fi together form a plan of the lower portion of my street cleaning machine; the tank being removed; Fig. 3 showing the left hand side of the machine, and Fig. 4e the corresponding right hand portion, the center line of 'the machine being indicated by the initial portion of the` irregular line A-B which .passes through the engine 4. .Fig` 5 `isa partial horizontal section taken through the said'tank, and Fig. 6 is a detailof the `gutter brush. Fig. 7 is a detail view of a portion of the gutter brush elevating means. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary 'sectional view of the double reciprocating brush mechanism.

Referring to Fig. 1, a suitable vehicle body 1, formed of channel irons and I-beams or the like, is carried upon wheels 2. The vehicle so formed is adapted to be ste red by suitable steering mechanism 3, and is driven by a gasolene engine 4, or the like. Uprights 5 support a tank or sorting receptacle 6, which is spaced a suiiicient distance above the body of the `vehicle to afford room for anexhaust fan 7 and other operating parts therebeneath. These parts aresdriven independently of the vehicle by meansof a gasolene motor 8, or the like, the shaft of whichv drives a counter-shaft 9 by means of a chain and sprocket drive 10, or the like. Shaft 9 is connected by means of a belt 11 lwith the driving pulley of the fan 7 above referred to. A second counter-shaft 12 is driven from shaft 9 by means of a worm and gear 13 and chain and sprocket drive la; the speed of shaft l2 being con siderably less than that of shaft 9. Upon t-he forward extremity of shaft 9 is a beveled pinion 15 which meshes with a beveled gear- 16 and drives the shaft 17 which extends laterally across the maehine. A suitable friction drive 18 is disposed at either extremity ofshaft 17 so that power is transmitted therefrom via exible shafts 19 to icev lsrs

the gutter brushes. Upon either side of the vehicle at the, forward end thereof are disposed seats 2O for the driver; two seat-s being provided so as to enable the operator to accurately andproperly control the movements of the machine, more particularly when traveling close to the curb. By reason\ of this particular arrangement of seats and the levers hereinafter referred to, the operator is able to watch the -action of the particular gutter brush 21 which is in use at vsuch time, controlling' the same by means of its lever 22. Other levers are arranged upon the respective vsides of each of these seats to enable the operator to control the several parts of the mechanism from either side there of and to also control the automobile driving mechanism from either side. Power is transmitted from shaft 9 by means of a chain and sprocket drive 23 to a short shaft 24 which rotates a pair of crank disks 25 by means of the respective sprocket andv chain connections 26. These crank disks are mounted upon spindles v27, which are journaled in suitable brackets 28 secured to the under side of the frame. Wrist pins 29 extend out laterally from the respectiveoposed faces of the disks 25 and are journaled 1n the extremities of the -links 30. These links are respectively connected at their farther extremities by means'of pins 31 with the supports 32, said supports each carrying a brush 33 and being reciprocably mounted between the guides 34. The rotation of shaft 24 hence effects a reciprocation of the brushes .33 and since the wrist pins 29 are spaced substantially 180o apart, the recipro. cal movements of the respective brushes 33 will obviously be opposite at ,all times. These brushes serve to scrape out and loosen up the dirt the crevices and are particularly, useful where the machine is used to clean Belgian block pavements,l Vand the like. Their scrubbing action, however, is also of value when the machine is used upon asphalt. The gutter brushes 21 and `supporting parts therefor, are of peculiar construction and merit description at some length.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 6, it will be seen that the brush properv21 has one face thereof of substantially conical contour.- A The base of the cone, however, is not a sharp edge despite the fact that the cone is of but a scant height, since bristles are disposed in somewhat cylindrical formation as at 35 in order to properly conform the brush to and cleanl out the angle formed by the curb and the street surface. The particular form of brush shown is of importance in that it is especially well adapted to eiiciently clean out this angular recess.

The backing 36 of the gutter brush is secured to a. shaft or spindle 37, this spindle being disposed inside of a short length of pipe 38. Thrust-bearings 39 and 40 are provided at the respective ends of this pipe so that the brush is adapted to be freely driven; the upper extremity .of spindle 37 being connected to the exibi'e shaft 19 above referred to. Secured to the outer side of a plate 41 which is vcarried by the frame l, are a pair of bracket bearings respectively designated 42 and 43 in which is reciprocably mounted a vertically disposed rod 44; said rodV having a projection 45 upon one side thereof to adapt itvto be 0perated from the lever 22 in the manner shown in Fig. 1. This projection is connected to a lever arm 46 by means of a link 47; the said lever arm being secured to a fixed shaft 48, upon which the lever 22 is mounted. The upper extremity of the rod 44 carries a roller 49 which is adapted to bear against the under side of a liange 50 which preferably forms an integralV part of a sleeve 51, which is mounted upon a stud 52. This stud is secured in any suitable manner to the plate41 as shown. in Fig. 6 at 52. lLaterally projecting from the stud 52 is a pin 53 which rides in a spirall slot 54 provided in the interior or bearing surface of the sleeve 51. A bracket 55 extends downwardly and preferably inwardly from the bottom of the sleeve 51 and has pivotally mountedupon the lower extremity thereof a sleeve 56. The pipe 38 rides loosely in this sleeve 56 so that ,it may be reciprocated therein in the-manner hereinafter described. One side of they flange 50 is enlarged or thickened to afford room for the reception of two pins 57. `An apertured block 58 is mounted upon these pins, the aperture of said blockbeing adapted for the reception of the pipe 38 which is secured thereto in any suitable manner, as for example, by a set screw 57. The holes through which the pins 57 extendl are disposed upon either side of the pipe receiving aperture, and the.

said block is lpreferably mounted substantially midway of the length of said pins;

helical springs 59 and 60 being disposed upon the respective sides of said block, these springs being maintained 4under compression by means of washers 61 which are held upon the extremities of the pins in any suitable manner. The construction just described affords considerable lateral play for the gutter brushes. brush is in contact with the curb as shown in Fig. G, and the machine is driven somewhattoo close to said curb, the pipe 38 and driving parts will rotate about the pivotal point 62 of the sleeve 56, thereby compressing springs 60.

In operation should it be desired to raise the gutter brush .out of contact with the street to clear an obstruction or for other reasons, it is merely necessary to raise the lever 22, which by reason of its linked connection with the rod 44 will urge the sleeve If for example,v the.

inventa 51 upwardly, thereby raising said, brush. lly reason of the spiral or cam-acting slot 54 and pin 53, sleeve 5l will be rotated at the same time that it is being raised, and hence the gutter brush will be vnot only raised, but will be swung outwardly. A disintegrating brush 63 is pivotally suspended from the shaft 12 abo-ve referred to; said brush being so mounted that it is adapted to be driven in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, in any position in which it may chance to ibe held. Shaft 12 is journaled in brackets G4 which are secured to the rear end of the supporting frame, and the respective extremities of said shaft carry beveled gears 65 which 'are fin mesh :at all times with the respective 'beveled pinions 66. Between each gear 65 and the corresponding bracket 64 is a collar 6.7 loosely mount-ed upon said sha-ft, I

suchlcollarn forming part Vof a depending bracket 68 which is preferaby secured to a cylindrical bodyl or sleeve 69, as shown in Fig, 2, 'said bracket lbeing omitted in Figs. 3 and 4 for clearness. The short shaft 70 upon which the pini-'on 66 is secured extends down through this sleeve and carries a second pinion 71 upon the lower extremity thereof, the latter piniontin turn meshing with the :beveled gear 72, which is mounted upon the extremity of a shaft 73 which carries 'the dismtegrating 1brush 63 above referred to. Back-o'ffeach of the bevel gears 72 is a collar 7a which `correspornls to the collars `67 ymounted upon the shaft 12;"this col-` lar also forming part of a bracket 7 5 which is of substantially the same construction as bracket 68, :and is preferably united to the lower extremity of 'the sleeve 69. Shaftl :73 therefore 'is 'suspended from shaft 12 and is also driven therelfrom. The disintegrating brush-68 will, as it is drawn along, encounter irregularities rin the 'street surface, but -will tend 'to remain :in contact with such surface while being Apositively driven Aat all times; the shaft 78 -being preferably rearwardly disposed with respect -tosb'aft 12so that the weight of the brush and other parts fhereinafter referred Ito ltend 'to hold said brush in close-contact With'the street.

A plurality of suction nozzles or mouths 75 of a inovel type are disposed to the rear of 'the vdisintegrating 'brush be here'noted that lthis disposition of such nozzles is particularly advantageous since,

should .a Ibrush be yplacedto the rear of the mouths of 'the suction apparatus, dirt disturbed byfsuchibrush would not 'in all-cases be collected by the machine. Hence, the rcarmost operative elements `carried b the machine are thesaid suction mouths. ach of :the nozzles 75 .tapers laterally upwardly and inwardly toward the upper extremity thereof, said extremity-being preferably annular =to permit of its 'ready engagement with a section of Adarti-ble .tubing or hose 76.

63, and it may f l prefer to provide Ia plurality 'of :suction mouths which are 'separate vand Adistinct from' each other eo that when an obstruction, sach as for example, a brick, or the like, is encountered yby one nozzle, such part is free to :swing upwardly to clear such obstruction without disturbing `the remaining nozzles or raising them from the street surface. 'The nozzles 75 :have their forward walls, adjacent the respective suction openings, preferably flared slightly as at 77 and the rear edge of nach of these openings :is provided with a somewhat flexible flap 78, which may be of thick leather or the like; such flap dragging along over the street surface and servi-ng to substantially prevent the entrance of air from the rear; and forcing practically all of theair to enter the saine from the front, whereby such air will carry the entraincd dust and particles churned up by the disintegratin -brush directly into :the suction mouths. lie flexible pipe 'sections 76 deliver into a manifold 78, the latter .in turn Aopening into the inlet aperture of the exhaust fan. r:lhe air .is exhausted from fthe lower :peripheral portion of this fan :and is conveyed lvia the -conduit 79 into the first compartment `of `the tank i6. This tank is preferably divided into slaven compartments respectively designated '80, 81, 82,83, 84, and 86. As thedirt .laden air emerges from the 'flared mouth of rthe conduit 79 it encounters a disintegraxting plate 87 which eis disposed 'in compartment 80. This plate is preferably of cheap foonstruct-ion so lthat :the .saine may S.be readily replaced as -it wears -out in use. I fin-d that a :suitable form of 'this plate is made by merely punching up jagged yFor angular tongues `from the surface thereof, 'such tongues or prongs-being directed toward the mouth -of the conduit 79. The air blast de- 'l-ivered against these prongs causes pieces of paper, leaves and 4the like to -be driven thereagainst with `considerable force and to be torn 'up and disintegrated thereupon. llhis plate further serves-as a means'of :protecting `the first of :the screens ,hereinafter referred `tto, which is disposed immediately behind :the said plate; such :protection beingv desirable since small stones and the" like will be hurled 'with considerable violence out .of tlieconduit 79.

The .several compartments are :separaind from eachother by means of a ',pluralityfof screens respectivelyy designated 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, and'98. 'lhese screens =aresubstantially vertical, but preferably have a slight incliationas indicated in Figs. 2 and 5 .the

molihation being such that material hurled' thereagainst which @will not passfthrough the screens will work l:its :way Adownwardly :and slightly 'forwardly toward the .bottoms ot the respective compartments; ithus preventing the cumbering up of said screens. dlie IRO heb

Uilm

lings screen 88 is preferably of relatively coarse mesh being made of heavy wire, and one inch openings being proyided. Screen89 is made of somewhat smaller wire and has three-quarter inch openings. Correspondingly, screen 90 may have half-inch open- 91 one-quarter inch; 92, one-eighth inch; and 93 one-sixteenth inch openings. A. very eiiicient means for sorting the dirt is afforded by this arrangement; particles of successively decreasing size being separately collected. rlhe current of air passes successively through the several compartments escaping from screen 93 into a centrifugal separator 94. Here practically all minute particles of dust which have passed screen 93 are separated from the air by centrifugal action and fall into the hopper which forms the bottom of the separator. The current of air then escapes upwardly through the conical covers which are disposed at the top of the separator. The mechanism is hence adapted to sort dirt collected from the street into as many grades as desired; the line dust from the centrifugal separator being withdrawn from the spout 95, while the coarser grades are drawn 0E from spouts 96.

Suitable, gates 97 are provided in connection with each of the ,1spouts, and the extremities 'ofi these spouts are preferably flanged or rimmed so that bags98may be secured thereto. z Platforms 99 are provided at either extremity of the machine for supporting these bags and, if desired, the platforms may be hinged as at 100 to permit of their being raised out of the way when not in use.' I prefer to provide a hood 101 for the upper half of the disintegrating brush 63, which hood is supported 1n any suitable manner from the sleeves 69. The cross frame 102 is pivotally connected to sleeves 69 and carries laterally extending arms 102. The laterally extending arms 102 of cross frame 102 are pivotally mounted upon levers 103, one of which levers 103 is disposed adjacent either side of the machine. 'lhe levers 103 are lixedly mounted upon a rock shaft 104 which is journaled in bracket 104 depending from the under side ofthe vehicle body. Shaft 104 is rocked by means of'either of two links 105, which are in engagement at their forward extremities with the respect-ive lever arms 106 and at their rear ends with the respective lever arms 106, the latter being carried upon the extremities of shaft 104. The extremities of the cross frame 102 are pivotally connected at 107 with the sleeves 69 and each of the links is operatively connected to an operating lever 107, adjacent one of the seats 20 by means of a lever arm 106, which is carried by the shaft 48 above referred to. Hence the disintegrating brush may be raised backwardly and upwardly when deaevataaa sired by the operator. rlThe cross-frame 102 is provided with a series of lugs 108 to which are pivotally connected the links 109. These links are provided with slots 110 for the reception of vpins 111 which are secured to the respective nozzles 75. By reason of the slotted connection aforesaid each of the nozzles can rise independently upon encountering an obstruction, while all of said nozzles will be raised whenever the rotary disint-egrating brush 63 is elevated; as upon encountering the limb of a tree, for example, This is an import-ant feature since when small obstructions are encountered practically only one of the nozzles will be disturbed, especially when such obstructions are suciently low or small in area to permit of the disintegrating brush riding thereover without being materially raised thereby.- For similar reasons, the reciprocable 35 brushes 33 are also made raisable by means of the respective pairs of links 112 which are pivotally connected to the channels 32, and to connecting links 113, one of which is disposed adjacent either, side of the Inachine. The connections between links 112 and 113 are preferably slotted as indicated at 112 to allow for the reciprocation of brushes 33 in the manner aforesaid, and each link 113 is connected to ,a bell-crank 113 which is operable by means of a lever 114. The respective levers 114 are mounted upon a hollow shaft 115 which is disposed around the stationary shaft 48 and extends across the machine as indicated in Fig. 4. 100 Mounted adjacent the respective ends of the xed shaft 48 are levers 116 which are connected by springs 117 with a pivoted arm 118 which carries a friction wheel 119 and one extremity of the flexible shaft 19, which 105 is driven by said wheel. Each of the wheels 119 is adapted to frictionally engage a wheel 120, one of which is mounted at either end of the shaft 17 above mentioned. Obviously when either spring 117 is placed under ten- 11o sion the corresponding gutter brush will be driven.

Each of the operating levers above described is provided with a suitable detent and operating'handle 121 therefor; the de- 115 tents being of any ordinary construction and adapted for engagement with the respective quadrants 122 so that said levers may be held in any position desired.

As aforesaid, each operative element of 12o the mechanism is hence actuable from two positions, one upon either side of the machine and this obviously affords the operator every facility for manipulating a necessarily rather bulky apparatus. In so far 125 as I am aware this system of dual control has never before been applied to mechanisms of this or like character.

In conclusion particular attention is called to the disintegrating action of the iai.-

reciprocable and rotary brushes. 'lhe reciprocable and rotary brushes, or some ot them should preferably be tormed of tairly stid wire or stid ratan of suitable strength to disintegrate masses ot clay or the like.

- B reason ot the lateral reciprocation ot the rushes first encountered, which it will he observed sweep with a regular stroke back and torth across the street surface, hearing a ainst such surface with substantially uni orm pressure at all times, there is no pronounced tendency to throw the dirt away from the -mach1ne, but merely to loosen and break up trangible particles or masses thereot. s y

The rotary brush sweeps substantially at= right angles to the reciprocable brushes and hence tends -to disrupt particles which may have resisted the action of thelatter. rlhis brush sweeps directly toward the suction mouths. The latter are not directed wholly toward the rotary brush but principally toward the street surface so that as the particles ass therebeneath they are drawn up into t enozzles and practically no dirt or dust can escape;

"lll t at l claim, is: l; A street cleaning mechanism comprising a dirt loosening lorush, a. frame, pivoted members for supporting said brush whereby the latter may e dragged alon by said trame,'driving mechanism for sai brush, a dexibly mounted suction mouth having the opening thereot disposed adjacent and to the rear ot said brush, means for simultaneously elevating both the hrush and the suction mouth above the surface of the street when desired, both said suction mouth and hrush being adapted to swing rearwardly and upwardly upon encountering an ohstruction in the street, said suction mouth heing further movable rearwardly and up- Wardly independently of the brush.

2. A street cleaning machine comprising a trame, a rotatable dirt loosening brush, means pivotally mounted on the frame for -their inlets to the rear of and adjacent to said brush and mechanism for raising said brush and suction mouths, said suction mouths being further raisable independently of each other and of said brush when one of said mouths encounters an 1obstruction in the street during the progress of the machine therethrough.

3. 'A street cleaning mechanism comprising a dirt loosening brush, a frame, pivoted members for supporting said brush whereby the latter may be dragged along by said frame, driving mechanism for said brush, a flexibly mounted suction mouth having the opening thereof disposed adjacent said brush, means for .simultaneously elevating both the brush and the suction mouth above the surface of the street when desired, both said suction mouth'and brush heingl adapted to swing rearwardly and upwar y upon` encountering an obstruction in the street, said suction mouth being further movable rearwardly and upwardly independently'of the brush.

Il. A street cleaning machine comprisin a trame, a dirt loosening brush connecte to said frame, means for. rotating said brush, a plurality of flexibly mounted suction mouths supported independently of each other, and mechanism for raising said brush and suction mouths, said suction .mouths being further raisable independently of each other and of said brush when one of said mouths encounters an obstruction in the street during the progress of the machine therethrough.

ln witness whereof, I subscribe my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

LEE ALFRETON HERVEY.

Witnesses:

Wanne M. Cmnt, Janna Dn Ala-Tomo. 

